Wilson hat-trick puts Sligo into FAI Cup third round as they overcome Cobh

HAT TRICK: A HAT-TRICK from Wilson Waweru put Sligo Rovers into the third round of the Sports Direct Men’s FAI Cup thanks to a comfortable 3-0 defeat of non-league Cobh Wanderers at The Showgrounds. Picture: Seb Daly/Sportsfile

FAI Cup: Sligo Rovers 3 (Wilson Waweru 16, 75, 90+4), Cobh Wanderers 0

A HAT-TRICK from Wilson Waweru put Sligo Rovers into the third round of the Sports Direct Men’s FAI Cup thanks to a comfortable 3-0 defeat of non-league Cobh Wanderers at The Showgrounds.

Sligo had enough possession to win by a greater amount but a stubborn Cobh worked hard to stifle John Russell’s side but they were unable to contain Waweru who brought his season’s tally up to six goals.

Sligo, who started as clear favourites against the Munster Senior League outfit, had won their last three games in the SSE Airtricity Men’s Premier Division to reignite their previously inconsistent campaign.

The sides met before in the competition back in 2015 – Sligo won that clash 4-0 at St Colman’s Park.

Sligo were without the suspended JR Wilson but Stephen Mallon was eligible despite his recent red card against Bohemians.

It was Sligo that started the better in the rain, with one electric run from Stephen Mallon leading to the first corner of the evening after seven minutes.

Underdogs Cobh were on the back foot, with Sligo dictating play, and the visitors held out until the 16th minute.

Goalkeeper Mark Power did well to stop Connor Malley’s through ball from reaching Ellis Chapman but the ball broke to Wilson Waweru and the former Cobh Ramblers player curled a shot home for the game’s opening goal.

Sligo next threatened with two efforts from Ellis Chapman, one that was narrowly wide and one that was blocked.

Stephen Mallon blazed a shot over following an underhit clearance from a corner.

Then an offside flag rescued Cobh after a rebound was swept home after an Ellis Chapman header came off the upright after another Sligo set-piece.

Sligo dominated possession in the second-half, with Cobh forced into a back-to-the-walls action, but the hosts couldn’t find the finishing touch despite numerous deliveries into Cobh’s box.

Ellis Chapman had another pop at goal, from a fine cross by Reece Hutchinson, but Cobh goalkeeper Mark Power was still relatively untroubled.

At the other end Sligo goalkeeper Ed McGinty was practically redundant as the visitors failed to muster a clear-cut effort on target in either half.

Wilson Waweru guided a header wide as Sligo brought on striker Luke Pearse, a recent loan signing.

Reece Hutchinson’s volley was well-struck, with Sligo still searching for a second goal, but the effort was straight at Cobh’s Mark Power.

Wilson Waweru eased the home side’s worries when he netted decisively from close-range after 75 minutes.

A rare Cobh attack saw Kevin Foster-O’Reilly direct a header well over in the closing stages.

Waweru wrapped up Sligo’s win with aplomb when he converted a stoppage-time penalty – the spot-kick was awarded after he had been fouled by Cobh defender Conor Walsh.

Sligo Rovers: McGinty; Wiggett (Pearce 67), Pijnaker, Denham, Hutchinson (Elding 84); Malley, Morahan; Mallon, Chapman (Henry-Francis 76), Fitzgerald (McDonagh 84); Waweru 

Cobh Wanderers: Power; Hasting-Gilley (Foster-O’Reilly 38), Curran, Walsh, Hastings, Stack (Heelan 46); McNamara, O’Connell, O’Leary (Brennan 71); Dorgan (Nguefang 46), Keating (O’Rourke 71) 

Referee: Eoghan O’Shea